Homemade Tomato Soup is such a classic recipe and you are bound to love this version. Made with easy to find ingredients, but deep in flavor, this is a winner!
There are few things that are more comforting than a bowl of tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich. But next time the craving hits, skip the canned soup. This homemade version is far more delicious while also being so easy to make. You will love this elevated soup with its deep and delicious flavors.
Tomato Soup Ingredients
- Unsalted Butter: We start with this to sauté our veggies.
- Carrots, Red Onion, Garlic: These give the soup additional layers of flavor that complement tomatoes perfectly.
- Dried Basil, Oregano, Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, Salt, and Pepper: These seasonings are amazing with tomatoes and leave you with the perfect flavors.
- Chicken Broth: The combination of tomatoes and chicken broth give a taste that is reminiscent of a sauce that has been simmering away all day. It is truly one of my favorite magic tricks.
- Canned Whole Tomatoes: The benefit of using whole tomatoes is that they tend to have a richer flavor than diced tomatoes. Read my note in the recipe card on how to use fresh tomatoes.
- Sugar: Some brands of canned tomatoes are quite acidic. A little bit of sugar at the end of the recipe can help balance that without making the soup sweet. Start with a little and just add it until you no longer taste that bitterness.
How to Make Tomato Soup
Sauté the Vegetables
Add carrots, onion, and garlic to a large pot along with the seasonings. Cook until the onion is tender, about five minutes.
Add Chicken Broth and Tomatoes
After adding the chicken broth and tomatoes, bring the soup to a boil. Then reduce to a simmer and continue cooking, covered, for 15 minutes.
Blend the Soup
Use an immersion blender to blend the soup right in the pot, or transfer it to a regular blender and blend in batches. You can blend the soup completely or leave some small chunks.
Substitutions and Variations
One of the best parts of making this homemade tomato soup recipe rather than buying it in a can is being able to customize the flavor to be exactly how you like it.
- Add more spice: If you want a little more kick to your soup, add more crushed red pepper flakes.
- Make it creamy: To make a creamy tomato soup, like my creamy tomato bisque, stir in a splash of heavy cream just before serving. Or keep it dairy free by using coconut milk.
- Make it vegetarian or vegan: Use vegetable broth instead of chicken stock to make a vegetarian tomato soup. Use olive oil to make a vegan tomato soup.
- Use fresh tomatoes: It’s easy to make roasted tomato soup by using fresh tomatoes and roasting them in the oven to prep them. See my instructions for this in the notes of the recipe card.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
Store any leftover tomato basil soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat only the portion you plan to eat in the microwave, covered to avoid splattering, or in a small saucepan over low heat until heated through, stirring often.
Freezing Tomato Soup
This is a great soup to make a big batch and freeze some for later. Once the soup has completely cooled, transfer it to freezer-safe bags or containers, leaving some room at the top for it to expand. I like to freeze this soup in individual portions which are perfect for heating up for lunch.
When you are ready to eat, let the soup thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Then heat in a small saucepan on the stove over low heat.
What to Eat With Tomato Soup
- Grilled Cheese is the perfect pairing with tomato soup. I love making air fryer grilled cheese with this because it’s hands off and I can focus on the soup.
- Garlic Bread or homemade croutons complement this soup in the best way.
- If you are looking to round things out, make a homemade Caesar Salad.
If you make this tomato basil soup recipe or any of my other recipes, I would be so grateful if you came back to tell me how you enjoyed it!
Tomato Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or olive oil see note 1
- 2 carrots peeled and diced
- 1 small red onion diced
- 2 garlic cloves diced
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (start with half if using table salt)
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 2 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth (453.5 grams or 473.2 ml)
- 28 ounces whole tomatoes undrained, see note 2 (794 grams)
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar see note 3
Instructions
- In a large stock pot over medium-low heat, melt butter. Add carrots, onion, and garlic, and season with basil, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Cook until the onion is tender, about 5 to 7 minutes.2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 carrots, 1 small red onion, 2 garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon dried basil, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- Add in the chicken broth and tomatoes and turn up the heat to bring the soup to a boil. Then reduce to a simmer and continue cooking, covered, for 15 minutes. The bubbles should be the size of small grapes.2 cups chicken broth, 28 ounces whole tomatoes
- Taste the soup and adjust the seasonings. The soup will likely need 2 teaspoons of sugar to balance out the acidity of the canned tomatoes. Add more salt and pepper as needed.2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- Either using an immersion blender or working in batches with a stand blender, puree the soup.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Keep this soup recipe vegan by using olive oil in place of the butter and vegetable broth in place of the chicken broth.
- Using Fresh Tomatoes: You can use fresh garden tomatoes in this recipe in place of the canned tomatoes. Cut out the core of the tomato, and cut an X in the skin of the tomato at the bottom. Roast the tomatoes on a parchment paper lined rimmed baking sheet at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 30 minutes. Once the tomatoes have cooled a little, peel off the skin using the X. Use the tomatoes and the liquid collected on the pan in place of the canned tomatoes.
- Sometimes canned tomatoes can be very acidic. You may taste the soup at the end and realize that it needs a small amount of sugar to balance the bitterness. Start with one teaspoon and add up to two until you no longer taste it but it doesn’t yet taste sweet. If you use fresh tomatoes, you will likely not need any sugar.
Mary Jane Strong says
I use a bit of apple to sweeten my tomatoes. Taught to me by my Italian mother in law! Works every time!!!
MARY says
I LOVE YOUR RECIPES I AM A STAR BECAUSE OF YOU THANKS SO MUCH
You are so welcome!
Kathi says
I have been making homemade cream of tomato soup almost like your recipe for the last 12 years. Only difference is I use 8-10 fresh Roma tomatoes and a pressure cooker. The only ingredient I don’t add is the pepper flacks. For the stock I use 6 tablespoons of Better than Bouillon chicken base or vegetable base mixed with 6 cups of water. It all goes into the pressure cooker on the soup icon for 25 minutes. Then it’s pureed in the pressure cooker pot and 1 cup of heavy cream is mixed in. Seasonings are adjusted and it’s heated thru again and its ready to serve. I usually make 10 cups of soup at a time and then freeze it in quart freezer bags (2 cups to a bag) to eat later.